India grab quick wickets at start of second Test

Kandy, Sri Lanka, August 22: India picked up three vital wickets after sending Sri Lanka in to bat on the opening day of the second cricket Test here on Wednesday.

The hosts reached 82 for three by lunch, losing Marvan Atapattu to the last ball of the session.

Atapattu, who made 39, was bowled by left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan, leaving Mahela Jayawardena unbeaten on four.

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, influenced by the greenish tinge on the Asgiriya stadium wicket and an overcast sky, had no hesitation in electing to field first.

But Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara (31) added 60 for the second wicket after skipper Sanath Jayasuriya was run out for three.

Jayasuriya, who hit 111 in the first Test at Galle which Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets, was stranded out of his crease while attempting a second run.

The tourists were frustrated by Atapattu and Sangakkara, who used the low bounce of the wicket to boost the score.

Atapattu, starting with an all-run four off the first delivery of the match, hit four boundaries.

Left-handed Sangakkara, Sri Lanka's other centurion at Galle, looked in ominous form with four well-struck boundaries when he fell to a low catch in the gully by Sadagopan Ramesh just before lunch.

Sangakkara cut a short ball from Ganguly, but Ramesh dived to his left to give India a badly needed break.

Then came Atapattu's wicket at the stroke of lunch, leaving the visibly relieved Indians in a happier frame of mind.

A sharp shower stopped play for 12 overs midway through the session, with dark clouds overhead threatening to curtail play further.

Sri Lanka retained the side that won the Galle Test last week, deciding to continue with fast bowler Suresh Perera, who was reported for a suspect action last week.